The present invention relates generally to client terminals and particularly to mobile communication devices under different use cases.
Mobile communication devices offer a wide range of functionality beyond basic voice calls. For example, text messaging, Instant Messenger (IM) based messaging, mobile internet services, etc. In Smartphones, even more functionality is integrated into the devices such as email, social networking, maps and navigation, and many other applications. In the present document, the terms client terminal, user terminal, user equipment, Smartphone, or mobile, mobile device are used interchangeably.
The increased functionality has led to the users being connected to their contacts almost all the time. This may be desirable in many cases but in some cases the connection must be disabled, at least temporarily. For example, when going to any quiet public place such as a library, offices, an auditorium, movie theatre, etc. In such places it may be required to disable, at least partially, the notification of various events such as incoming call, text messages, email, voice mail, social networking updates, etc. In some cases even the non-audible alerts such as vibration may not be acceptable.
Many mobile device users keep their mobile near them when they go to sleep. It is undesirable to provide audible or vibration alert when the user is resting.
Conventional mobile devices offer capability to disable notifications. The disabling can be done at different levels such as no-audible alerts but vibration may be allowed or completely silent but the display may lighten up when an event requiring alert occurs. A shortcoming of the conventional methods is that often users do not remember to re-enable the notification or turn the mobile device back on after they leave quiet public places or when they wakeup. This may lead to missed phone calls, text messages, and other missed events. This may cause variety of problems for the user depending on the nature of the call or text message that may be missed.